DONAIRE?S FIGHTS THIS WEEKEND COULD BE HIS LAST AS A FLYWEIGHT!
By Ed de la Vega, DDS
PhilBoxing.com
Mon, 27 Oct 2008
Canoga Park, CA:- It is fairly easy to understand that now-a-days most news outlets, electronic media included, are talking more about the exploits of Manny Pacquiao and his impending ?Dream Fight? against ex-Olympian and multi-titled boxing champion Oscar de la Hoya.
After all, the December 6th event between the Filipino boxing icon and the Golden Boy is a projected record breaker in terms of PPV buys and live gate. The promoters are talking about a fight that may hit $100 million in gross revenue! And, it would not be too far off to say that millions are being spent to hype it to the rafters to achieve that.
However, there is another Filipino champion out there who deserves some print as well. He is defending his title on Saturday, November 1st at the Mandalay Bay.
His name is Nonito Donaire Jr.
Donaire holds the IBO/IBF Flyweight titles. He won the titles via a scintillating knockout of the then champion, Vic Darchinyan. Darchinyan is an Armenian who now fights for Australia. He is well remembered for his very cocky attitude, an attitude he still carries around to this day in spite of being plastered by Donaire.
Donaire knocked out Darchinyan when they fought at Bridgeport, Connecticut. At that time, Darchinyan, who calls himself ?Raging Bull? was undefeated and he seats on a self made throne challenging everyone to dethrone him.
For a while Darchinyan was successful in keeping his title. Amongst his many victims were Filipinos. In March 2006, at the Chumash Casino in Sta Ynes, California, he KO?d Diosdado Gabi in round 8th. Then in October of the same year, he won via TKO in round 6th over Glenn Donaire, the younger brother of Nonito.
Thinking perhaps that a fight with the other Donaire sibling would be just as easy, particularly after he sent Victor Burgos of Mexico to the hospital after their fight at the Home Depot Center in Carson California in March of 2007, Darchinyan accepted the challenge of Nonito, Jr.
His fight with Nonito was held July 2007. It was a very close during the first 4 rounds. In fact at the end of 4 rounds, one of the judges had Darchinyan slightly ahead by a score of 40-36. The other two judges had the fight even, at 38-38.
Then came the fateful 5th round.
Darchinyan in his usual awkward boxing style approached Donaire with his hands low. He threw a right which Donaire avoided easily. Doniare answered with his vaunted counter left hook over the right hand of Darchinyan and smack him right at the face.
The punch was so hard, it dropped Darchinyan like a sack of potato. Darchinyan attempted to get up but it was obvious that he was in no condition to fight again. He fell back to the canvas face first, breaking his nose. Then, he attempted to stand only to reel to the opposite side of the ring like a drunken bum leading his team to jump up to the ring to help him. Many fans, particularly those who despise Darchinyan?s cocky attitude mockingly dubbed his actions the ? Darchinyan chicken dance.?
Darchinyan was so plastered that he did not have a recollection that he was knocked out. He was still confused and acted like he had a concussion several minutes after the fight.
In December 2007 Donaire defended his titles for the first time at the Foxwoods Casino Resort in Connecticut. He was matched against Luis Maldonado of Mexico. Donaire took care of business in 8 rounds. He won via a TKO.
His victory over Maldonado was followed by a long inactivity. The inactivity is linked to his former promoter, Gary Shaw. Apparently there was a problem between him and the Team Donaire. The problem eventually led to their separation.
Donaire this summer signed up with Top Rank who indicated that they will get him fights. True enough, one was almost immediately arranged after some projected fights at Macau, China and Dubai, UAE were cancelled.
Donaire will be fighting a South African, Moruti Mthalane in a ?mandatory? title fight. Mthalane earned the right to challenge Donaire by beating Hussein Hussein in England this past summer.
The Donaire-Mthalane title fight is a co-main event of a fight card involving Mexico?s Julio Cesar Chavez Jr and his rematch with Matt Vanda. The fights will be held at the Mandalay Bay Casino Resort and Spa on November 1st.
The Chavez-Vanda fight is supposed to clear up the controversy that occurred when the two fought at the home grounds of Chavez in Mexico. Chavez won a very questionable decision over Vanda in that fight. Thus, the rematch to prove who really is ?el mas macho?.
The fight card is a Top Rank Promotion and it will be on PPV.
Donaire?s title defense against Mthalane will possibly be his last fight as a ?flyweight?. Team Donaire, if victorious on November 1st, will like to move up weight and possibly challenge the likes of Jorge Arce, Fernando Montiel and other named fighters on the super flyweight and perhaps even the bantamweight level where there is more money to be made.
Click here to view a list of other articles written by Ed de la Vega, DDS.
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